Why do Americans not travel ?

I'm glad most of them don't wander out of the U.S.. For the most part I believe there Is a lot of fear of the unknown with going to another culture they know nothing of. I have been to Mexico, Costa Rica and belize many times and have seen the pompous, self indulged, rude and ugly American way too many times. It's a miracle we are even allowed in those countries anymore. Americans think their crap doesn't stink and they are so much more sophisticated and advanced than the cultures they visit but hey , you aren't t, you don't get it and you never will so please stay home.

I traveled a lot and i love it. Infact, when I'm away from home I'm a lot happier.

Besides the states, I've traveled to Australia, England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. It was part of a Student Ambassador Program to promote peace through understanding of dif cultures.

Money is no excuse, I devoted one year per trip to saving money and fundraising to cover the expenses plus a little extra.

So not all Americans are lazy and don't travel ;)

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23414035

you should try travelling to places with a different language and culture than your own! It's much more interesting. Why do you need to promote peace with the UK and Australia, when they are already allies and are basically in the same category as the Americans? (culturally, I mean)

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30773535

I agree! I've always wanted to go to Costa Rica, India, and Greece. I'm pretty young so I'd say so far my traveling has been pretty good X) Right now I'm back in college so my studies have been taking up my time/expenses but i really wana continue seeing the world.

also, just because our governments are allies, doesn't mean their people like us. In fact, a lot of the English looked down on us American kids because our money is worth less and because we seceeded from the brits.

In australia, i stayed with this really nice family but they orginally had very poor views of us. when we got off the bus they literally asked me, "where are the americans?" they didn't realize how diverse we are. this is their exact words: "We were expecting blond cheerleading bimbos" I laughed because thats just aussi humor. during the 3 days i stayed with them, we shared so much about each others' culture and country that our previous opinions completely changed. that aussi family now bases their views on americans because of me and the other ambassadors and what i taught them. they taught me a lot too.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23414035

I would agree that you are off to a great start and when you are beginning to travel, countries similar to your own are good places to learn. Your first years of travelling, and the places that you fall in love with, stay with you for a lifetime. Opening your eyes to a world that exists outside of your own and discovering that it is full of interesting things and lessons and generally people are good. Politics suck everywhere. The nature of a place is very important, it has shaped the people. A culture that takes care of and respects it's nature generally has a (usually poor, but) happy society. People that live close to the land in 3rd world countries are holding a treasure that we in the developed world are losing. (unless you live on a farm) It seems that the "developed" first world countries have developed themselves into a mess of ugliness and people everywhere want to seek refuge in a quiet space far from the cities. You mentioned Costa Rica. It is a beutiful country, and not really necessary to speak Spanish because so many Americans are there that English has pretty much become a second language. Nicaragua is a little more undeveloped. These days though even the cowfields of Panlenque are being exploited. Good luck OP!

I traveled a lot and i love it. Infact, when I'm away from home I'm a lot happier.

Besides the states, I've traveled to Australia, England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. It was part of a Student Ambassador Program to promote peace through understanding of dif cultures.

Money is no excuse, I devoted one year per trip to saving money and fundraising to cover the expenses plus a little extra.

So not all Americans are lazy and don't travel ;)

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23414035

you should try travelling to places with a different language and culture than your own! It's much more interesting. Why do you need to promote peace with the UK and Australia, when they are already allies and are basically in the same category as the Americans? (culturally, I mean)

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30773535

I agree! I've always wanted to go to Costa Rica, India, and Greece. I'm pretty young so I'd say so far my traveling has been pretty good X) Right now I'm back in college so my studies have been taking up my time/expenses but i really wana continue seeing the world.

also, just because our governments are allies, doesn't mean their people like us. In fact, a lot of the English looked down on us American kids because our money is worth less and because we seceeded from the brits.

In australia, i stayed with this really nice family but they orginally had very poor views of us. when we got off the bus they literally asked me, "where are the americans?" they didn't realize how diverse we are. this is their exact words: "We were expecting blond cheerleading bimbos" I laughed because thats just aussi humor. during the 3 days i stayed with them, we shared so much about each others' culture and country that our previous opinions completely changed. that aussi family now bases their views on americans because of me and the other ambassadors and what i taught them. they taught me a lot too.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23414035

I would agree that you are off to a great start and when you are beginning to travel, countries similar to your own are good places to learn. Your first years of travelling, and the places that you fall in love with, stay with you for a lifetime. Opening your eyes to a world that exists outside of your own and discovering that it is full of interesting things and lessons and generally people are good. Politics suck everywhere. The nature of a place is very important, it has shaped the people. A culture that takes care of and respects it's nature generally has a (usually poor, but) happy society. People that live close to the land in 3rd world countries are holding a treasure that we in the developed world are losing. (unless you live on a farm) It seems that the "developed" first world countries have developed themselves into a mess of ugliness and people everywhere want to seek refuge in a quiet space far from the cities. You mentioned Costa Rica. It is a beutiful country, and not really necessary to speak Spanish because so many Americans are there that English has pretty much become a second language. Nicaragua is a little more undeveloped. These days though even the cowfields of Panlenque are being exploited. Good luck OP!

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 30773535

I completely agree with you. I'm an Inuit and was accepted and grew up with the Nisqually tribe in WA. I wholly believe in respecting and preserving nature, and it saddens me when I see so many people abusing and disregarding it because it stands in the way of profits. I've always said, "The world will always provide for man's needs, but never enough for his greed." I felt a personal connection to the Aboriginees as they taught me which plants are edible, how to throw a boomerang and spear, and how to play the didgereedoo. City life bores me because the people are so disconnected with themselves and their surroundings. The wild offers so much more and living in an undeveloped (or if its a mix) country intrigues me. Pass on your wisdom to others especially in your travels. I know i will :)

In Belgium we have a legal minimum of 20 days, excluding official Hollidays for fulltime jobs.

If your contract has more then a normal fulltime schedule (I think the default is 36h/week) you have to receive recuperation days.For example, I have 10 days extra since I have a 40h/week contract. My mom only 3 since she works 37h/week.

People also receive extra days for their long history at the same employer, but that's company dependant. At my company it's 1 day extra per 5 years, which is nice. Most people do not have this (e.g. factory workers, craftsman, ...) I work 6 years at my company, so for me it's 1 day extra. I know it's a lot more at banks, government,...

Note: my mom has a LOT of hollidays. This is very rare for a person employed in the private sector. Banks are still very good for giving extra hollidays. But my mom's contract is still from the good old days. You won't have this today.

To my knowlegde: compared to Belgium, US and Canada have very little hollidays. UK, Germany and The Netherlands a bit fewer then Belgium. But going more to southern Europe, they tend to have more hollidays. France and Spain have more then Belgium.

Because they are subconsciously afraid to see how other countries and people really are, and thus how their country really is.They are afraid of giving up the idea that the US is the best and the only developed place on earth, and like to maintain all the clichés and funny opinions they have on other countries/people.Thinking they're the superior humans only works as long as they haven't seen the truth.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 31005803

Actually i have traveled quite a lot and America at it's worst, is better than any place else.

I've always wanted to. In the past it has been about lack of money and vacation, but that is not really an issue for me now. However, there is still a lot in the US I haven't seen. I will travel abroad sooner or later. I want to see the countries my ancestors came from.

Because we like where we are. We do not need to see the rest of the world, because we live in the best part of it. It's the same reason that everyone else wants to come to America. I can drive to Yellowstone National Park in a few hours, why would I want to go any farther?

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe

Because we like where we are. We do not need to see the rest of the world, because we live in the best part of it. It's the same reason that everyone else wants to come to America. I can drive to Yellowstone National Park in a few hours, why would I want to go any farther?

I went to visit Germany in September. It was a pleasant trip until we visited a castle that was filled with really annoying American tourists. While having a really nice dinner they were loud and obnoxious.

i know your intent was to insult us, which is all you canadians have, but really your comment is partly true. for instance i will not go to canada and give my hard earned money to a nation who hates me. i don't go to europe any longer for the same reason.

A Jewish mother dreams that her son will grow up to be a doctor or, if retarded, a lawyer." --Jackie Mason

" I'm Jewish. I don't work out. If God had wanted us to bend over, He would have put diamonds on the floor." -- Joan Rivers

i know your intent was to insult us, which is all you canadians have, but really your comment is partly true. for instance i will not go to canada and give my hard earned money to a nation who hates me. i don't go to europe any longer for the same reason.